FINALLY!! Finally, at long last, we have discovered the details of the great Wii. You know, though; all in all, there weren't really any big surprises. The pricing is pretty much what was predicted, the prices of the Virtual Console games will be reasonable, and game prices are not going to be any higher than they were for the Gamecube.

I hear a lot of complaints that WiiSports will be packaged with the system here, but I'm actually kind of glad about that. WiiSports is one of those games that I doubt I'd buy if it weren't packaged with the system, but it would probably be one of the coolest games possible to show off to my family and friends.

EEEE!! Or IIIII!! I'm so excited! But I have to calm down. There's a lot of Q&A to get to, and big, BIG, BIG things are happening in SOCK today; you guys must be getting impatient or something. Ah, ah, ah! Don't you dare scroll down. Read THESE first!

LETTERS

New systems, forgotten series, and more.

Thank you kindly for your suggestions on gambling games. I have yet to play Pokemon since 64 as I had the Pikachu console stolen (with Ogre Battle 64 and memory expansion installed); this has been a sore spot for me for quite a while. I think it is finally time to get over it. I do have a DS, and will look into these along with the Fire Emblem games, which I have not played, but loved the Gamecube version. The new Nintendo has me waiting-Fire Emblem, Super Paper Mario, and some Z? game. How amazing it would be for Ogre Battle to be on that system! what a spectacular game. I believe that would be right up your alley. Sorry to "dis" Disgaea-I'll give that a try as well. Has everyone forgotten about Ogre Battle? I think they only made 10,000 for the 64 in English (which I bought the system for), but there was another for Super Nintendo. Thanks again especially for getting my memories back. God bless you-Vatch

Matt

I'm more than glad to help out!

If you played and loved the Gamecube version of Fire Emblem, definitely try to find one of the Game Boy Advance renditions, because they're just fantastic, and I'm sure you'll enjoy them too, even if they aren't quite as visually gorgeous.

Don't worry about dissing Disgaea. It's understandable that some people might find the subject of Netherworlds and demons to be a bit dark. While there are some dark-humour moments, it's not ever in a "serious" context. I think that the original Disgaea actually had more of a sad story at times, with some real life-lessons to discover as Laharl learned how to love. Some moments in the game actually made me more emotional than I perhaps am with most games!!

As for Ogre Battle? It's now been about four years since Tactics Ogre was released for the Game Boy Advance. The Super Nintendo title you're thinking of was called "March of the Black Queen." I'd love it if another were to be announced one day, but as you may know, Square Enix now owns the rights to the franchise. I assume that they wouldn't have bothered buying the rights to it if they didn't plan on making another game one day, but I can't claim to know the future. I'm hoping with you!

First it's Mario Hoops: 3-on-3. Next we'll have Super Final Fantasy Brothers!

For my question today, I'd like to refer you to the following Penny Arcade comic:

It expresses a particular point of view (or fear) about the new battle system upcoming in Final Fantasy XII. The news blurb that went along with it by Tycho openly opines that the Gambit system, "and I am not exaggerating for effect, the mechanism by which you relinquish control of the game." He goes on to say that even despite this, it'll sell like mad, but that he fears that it's another step on a road that the franchise does NOT want to go down.

I'm afraid I don't quite understand a lot of what I've read about the Gambit system and its implications (I was having so much fun with DQ8 that I stupidly forgot to play the demo!), so I'd like to ask you and my fellow readers this: is Tycho right? What does it mean, whether he's right or wrong?

Matt

Nice link!!

What can I say? I've only got the demos to go on, myself, and they did feel as if you have no control over what is going on. It's like... well, okay. In the three different demos I've played (on DQVIII's Demo Disc and at E3) I finished playing with the feeling that I would have fought BETTER if I had just left it in the computer's hands. There were more than a few times where I'd go "ooh, cool, I'm going to try casting this spell!" but by the time it actually got cast, my other party members would have completely taken care of all of the other enemies in the region. There's no reason to ever be careful or particularly choosy about attacks, either, since your MP is always trickling upwards.

All of that aside, every single person that I've talked to who has played the actual final game says that it's far superior to any demos existing out there. In the end, all we can really do is wait until Hallowe'en, and then we'll be able to see for ourselves!

To quell your fears of Final Fantasy XII...

Hello there, Sir Matt.

This is my first e-mail to you fine folks at RPGamer. I was perusing the columns--namely the September 12 submission, Slimmed Down--and I felt compelled to say a few words about Final Fantasy XII. (Excited?! I know, me too.)

Matt

In that case, hello! Welcome to RPGamer. Can I take your order?

(Yes, I'm really excited)

I'm not sure whether yourself or anyone else affiliated with the site has played it yet... I'm just shy of 120 hours logged into the Japanese release of the game, of course, because I'm ridiculous and couldn't wait for the stateside release to fondle its Finally-Fantastical goodness. But I do hear a lot of people stewing over whether the game will present a fair amount of challenge. I really do have to say that there's not much to worry about with regard to that, and also that the English-language demo included with Dragon Quest VIII in America is in no way a fair representation of the game. It functions on a purely oooh-look-how-pretty capacity, which ends up being very understated, in my opinion. The varying environments are jaw-droppingly gorgeous and grandiose in both scale and frequency. With the inclusion of the Gambit system, Mist Quickenings, and optional Mob Hunts, everything comes together most swimmingly. And one shouldn't expect a teacup ride through THIS Fantasy. Many of its bosses, Mobs, and rare monsters are, in a word, herculean.

Matt

There are others around here who have impatiently imported like yourself, and they have nothing to do but gush about it to a nigh-annoying extent. No, no, you're not actually being annoying; it's just nail-biting when others around you get the chance to play games that you're really looking forward to! Wait until the Wii is released in the middle of November. I'll have to listen to people TALK about it for more than a month before I actually get my hands on it! AGAHHCK!

Anyway, back to the topic at-hand. See, Leaper? This is what I'm talking about; people are so impressed by the game when they actually play it, I can't help but be optimistic, despite the fact that every demo I've played has been a disappointment. It's easier to get screentime on G4 when you've got a gorgeous game to show off, after all, so why wouldn't they totally overemphasize the graphics without concentrating much on the gameplay? Oh well.

Gambits appear to provide the option for a huge amount of customization, but to me, battle-tactic customization should be a given. "OMG, you can actually tell your party members what to do in given situations!!" sounds more than a bit silly to me, since we've been able to do that quite handily since Final Fantasy I, thank you. I might appear to have a sour outlook on the idea, but I am definitely looking forward to many other things, including the world, the story, the skill system, and the music.

Also, for those who are put off by the idea of the Gambit system and its alleged "hand-holding" gimmickry... Just turn it off. Activate Wait Mode. Instant old school gameplay. Try Active Mode this way for a serious rush!

And I've said my piece. Hope there was nothing obscenely spoilerish in my ramblings. See you in line on October 31st!

Kyle

Matt

Heh heh, no spoilers to be found, Kyle. Thanks for your input. And indeed, the fact that you can turn Gambits off and on is extremely appealing to gamers like myself; I'm not entirely sold on the system yet, obviously, so it's good that I'm not condemned to use it if it doesn't appeal to me in the end.

The way I look at it is this: I've quite enjoyed even my least favourite Final Fantasy games over the years. Square Enix has worked long and hard on this game, so I'd like to think that a quality product will result in the end. In the off-chance that I'm not so fond of it anyway, there's always Final Fantasy III and V, right?

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...and sequels to sequels.

Hey Matt!

Okay, do you think Square Enix could at least let Final Fantasy XII get over to the US before they start announcing sequels? Honestly, let us play the game before you start telling us what the characters are going to be doing after the game ends. Is it just me, or is Square getting way out of control with this sequel stuff? I though Final Fantasy X-2 was an interesting idea, if unevenly executed on a story level. Then they pumped out a FFVII sequel movie and multiple spinoff games. Dirge of Cerberus didn't bother me so much, but the other games seem like overkill. Then they announced assorted versions of FFXIII, not just before it is released, but before anyone has even seen it in playable form. Now another sequel.

As much as people always complained how they wished there would be actual sequels to Final Fantasy games, almost everyone has to realize this is getting a bit ridiculous. What do you call all the sequels, anyway? Can you sub-franchise an already existing franchise series?

Grrr, maybe I'm just grumpy.

312) D.
313) C.

Heck, not that I can see anything in this one, anyway.

Thanks!

BigWook

Matt

It's true. Square Enix is going a little bit direct-sequel-crazy these days, in stark contrast to just a few years ago, when there was some sort of unspoken rule ensuring that every Final Fantasy game was a unique and disjoint experience from every other Final Fantasy game.

The most annoying thing about it, as you say, lies in the fact that we haven't even played the game yet. Isn't it a bit presumptuous to just assume that a game will be so unearthly popular that people will lap up a direct sequel? I think that it shows a bit of cockiness on Square Enix's part.

Another part of me is really, really excited, and while the choice of the DS might seem absolutely baffling, it makes a whole lot of sense when you consider exactly how popular that handheld is worldwide right now. A small part of me wonders, too, if this is Square Enix's response to everyone who has complained of Final Fantasy's jump to the Action-RPG style. It's certainly possible that the same kind of gameplay will be featured on the small screen(s) as will be featured in FFXII, but on the other hand, maybe we'll see something more traditional. THAT would make me erupt in joy.

I guess the lesson to be learned here is that despite everything, Square Enix is a company, and thus, they'll do what they can to turn big profits. If people beg for and buy direct sequels to popular games, it wouldn't make much business sense for them to stop, would it?

In any event, thanks, BigWook, for writing in!

To read, or not to read?

A question for the audience: anyone playing Enchanted Arms for the 360? I'm
still waiting for the must-have 360 game that will get me to buy the console.
Is this it?

Thanks
Shawn

Matt

Enchanted Arms looks like it could be a reasonably good game with some degree of traditional gameplay (very welcome!), but it's not what I'd consider to be a must-have. I saw the demo at E3, and it looked fine enough, but does it warrant buying a new system? I don't think so. On the other hand, if I already had an Xbox 360, then I'd certainly spring for a copy, since there isn't really much else to speak of in the way of RPGs in Microsoft land. Yet.

If you're really that excited for Enchanted Arms but you're not an Xbox kind of guy, I think it was just announced that it will be coming out for the PS3 as well. If you're not a PS3 kind of guy either, then... I don't know what to tell you.

Thanks yourself!

I thought I might get one of these...

Matt...
You really burn me up sometimes. I'm fairly sure that this topic has been touched on in the past, but......

Matt

...this doesn't sound good...

In Tuesday's Q&A, you once again called FFXII an action RPG. How the HELL is FFXII an "action" RPG? I know that you are not exactly a fan of action RPG's, (in fact, now that I think about it, I've never heard you mention one that you've played and enjoyed), so perhaps your conception of the genre is slightly askew.

Matt

Okay, okay. The line is slightly blurry, I'll give you that. But I think that the game is tilted slightly towards the "Action RPG" genre for a couple of reasons:

You only have full control over one party member at any given time.
Yes, this is a big one. I am fully aware that you can jump in and issue commands to anyone else, but several other action RPGs feature this as well, including Star Ocean (and every Tri-Ace Action RPG I can think of), Seiken Densetsu, and more.

Uninhibited movement at any time
While you have to wait a bit to carry out specific actions in FFXII, you may move about in order to strategically place allies and dodge attacks; you can distance a troubled ally from the heat of a battle if need be to avoid danger, a definite characteristic of an Action RPG.

I think those are the two big ones, though there a few other things that help (no transition to a separate battle screen is another, but there are some Action RPGs that DO teleport you to nice little arenas with every battle).

I don't know... I don't think that my idea of what an Action RPG might be is off-kilter. And yes, I've said before that Action-RPGs aren't generally my favourite, but I have played many that I've really loved. I haven't really played a Seiken Densetsu (Secret of Mana, etc) game that I didn't enjoy, and I was one of the few people who found even Sword of Mana to be an interesting game. Star Ocean: The Second Story is one of my favourite PS1 games outside of the Final Fantasy series, and Crystalis is an old favourite as well. There are several examples of games I don't like, too, but I certainly don't mean to imply that Final Fantasy XII will be BAD because it's an Action RPG.

Games with the label of action RPG would be titles like Kingdom Hearts, X-Men Legends, Baldur's Gate, and even The Legend of Zelda. Now, in each one of those games, the combat relies on the rapid combination of buttons in order to pull off attacks in real-time combat. It's hack-and-slash.

I have extensively played the FFXII demo, and the combat is not even close to hack-and-slash. Something that people have a hard time wrapping their brains around is this: the combat in FFXII is, for all intents and purposes, identical to that of, say, FFX. The only, the ONLY difference is that now the battles are on the field screen, and your characters no longer form up into a neat little line!

You may think I'm crazy, but I'm not! While it looks deceptive, the combat in FFXII is not in real-time! The frequency of the characters' actions are still dictated by the same old ATB that has been with us for years now! Of course, everyone is freaking out about the fact that you are no longer required to select the "attack" command in order to attack. Yes, characters attack automatically once their ATB bar fills, but that basically just eliminates the need to "strategically" tap the X button.

The feeling of not being in control is entirely deceptive. As long as you want your character to attack, he/she will. If you want him to cast a spell or use a potion, the familiar old menu will come up with the press of a button, and you can select the appropriate command. Hell, set the game to "wait" mode, and the action will completely freeze every time you bring up the menu! My guess is that the feeling that you are not in control will fade away after playing the game for a few hours.

Matt

I don't think so! First, I honestly don't think that The Legend of Zelda is anything close to a hack-and-slash game, especially with targeting systems in the newer games. If you treat Zelda games AS hack and slash games, certainly you will be defeated, because you need to time things well, defend at the right times, and more. Besides, just because the examples you've provided might be hack-and-slash does not mean that the whole sub-genre is! Think about Star Ocean, if you've played that. That's definitely an Action RPG, but it definitely doesn't fit your mold. You have to wait between attacks for a gauge to fill, and there's a considerable wait that must be taken between every single time a spell is cast or an item is used. That sounds an awful lot like Final Fantasy XII, doesn't it? Seiken Densetsu (Secret of Mana, Sword of Mana, etc) is very similar, in that you can't just hack and slash, because your strength disappears unless you wait a certain period of time between any attacks you make. These things are exactly things that are found in Final Fantasy XII.

It just so happens that the ATB system of previous Final Fantasy games seems to extend nicely into the world of Action RPGs. I don't think that it's a BAD thing, and I don't think it's anything to get upset about. It's just a change.

I definitely don't think that you're crazy. But I have more reasoning than the fact that your characters aren't lined up nicely; give me a little bit of credit, please!

It is my hope that the helpless feeling I got during the demos will indeed be reflective only of the gameplay within the demos and that a few hours of actual Final Fantasy XII goodness will set me straight and make me feel like I'm genuinely behind the reins.

So basically, how is FFXII an action RPG when the battles are not in real-time?

Not to be rude or anything. I'd just like to know your opinion.
*equips the "loudmouth" ability, for fear of being silenced.*

Matt

Oop. See above. That's a good chunk of opinion. And it's my honest opinion, one that I hope is not a unique one. I just really think it feels more like an Action RPG than it feels like previous Final Fantasy games, though I never got my hands on XI.

So.....I felt really left out during last week's Q&A columns. Why? Because I've never played Disgaea, have yet to play Xenosaga II, and, (shamefully enough), have never played a Dragon Warrior/Dragon Quest game. Right now I'm finishing up KH2, which I guess is old hat already. I almost never buy games new, so I can't talk about them when everybody else is. FFXII will be an exception however, so you'll get to hear all about that one from me.

Matt

Sure you can. There's no reason why you can't write in to talk about the games that you enjoy, and I'll be more than happy to respond. I definitely don't want you or anybody else to ever feel left out, but I can only respond to the e-mails that I receive! If the e-mails I receive are about Xenosaga, Disgaea, and Dragon Quest, my only other alternative would be to answer SPAM mail about hot stock tips and such, and that would definitely not make for a very good column.

I hope you're enjoying playing through Kingdom Hearts 2, though. What are your thoughts on the game? We've heard a few other opinions, both good and not-so-good. Add your thoughts to the bucket, if you wish!

How about that 1, 2, 3, punch that Sony delivered upon themselves? First they announce that the HD cables will be sold seperately. Then they delay the PS3 in Europe, and then, worst of all, they slash their PS3 launch shipment by 75 percent? Damn!

Matt

I know. It's been a pretty disappointing week for a lot of big Sony fans, and it's probably been just as depressing of a week for the people that work at Sony, too. Can you imagine how some people must feel about delivering news like that to thousands of eager fans? Sony might be a "big, evil corporation," but I'm sure that there are many people within the company that really want to see this console do big things.

I admit though, I'm not ready to abandon hope for Sony. After being with them for so long, it's hard to just completely count them out when things get tough. (Even though this is all their fault.) I'm actually hoping that they pull through and rise to the top again, I'm just not sure how likely that is. I'll tell you what, though; I am not a Wii fanboy as of yet. In fact, I'm still quite skeptical of the entire thing. I think it's very gimmicky, and to be honest, I want to just play games like I've always played them. I hope that the Wii does not become the norm in the future, because I do not want to see Final Fantasy go to the Wii. I'm already concerned enough about the future of Zelda.

Matt

You see... if people had never pushed the limits for change ten years ago, we'd still be playing 2-D sidescrollers and we would never be able to enjoy such enormous innovations like the ones that Final Fantasy XII will have to offer. We also likely wouldn't get the chance to debate back and forth over how action or turn-based it might or might not be, too.

Having played a little bit of the Wii among huge crowds and a huge amount of noise, I have to say that I can't wait to get my hands on the real thing. I don't think that I'm a Wii fanboy, per se, because a lot of it will depend on how good the games actually are. However, I don't think that there's anything wrong with including a novel style of control, especially when it feels so good in your hands. It'll take a bit to get used to, depending on the game, but I think that that's true for many games, isn't it? The controller itself feels marvelous and feather-light. It is a bit on the pricy side, though.

Tell me, though, what is so terrible about seeing game franchises go to the Wii? Just because a different control scheme is an option for developers definitely does not mean that they'll be required to use it, and several games in development don't use the motion-sensing feature at all. The graphics of the Wii are a small step up from the Gamecube, which was already more powerful than the PS2 which we've all come to love. I don't see what would be so nightmarish about Wii RPGs, honestly.

And to be honest Matt, considering how much you freak out when your party members don't form a line in FFXII, I really can't wait to hear your reaction to a Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest game on the Wii, if such a thing ever comes about. (Heheh.)

Matt

>.>

Heh heh... ummmm... I don't think it's me who freaked out. I just said that it was an Action RPG, and that's all! (And then you e-mailed me and said "not to be rude" and "how the HELL" and all that business, making me panic and worry that I've somehow offended half of my readers who might never come to RPGamer again, causing Roku to fire me and ban me from working at the site until the end of time, making me spiral into a horrible depression, ultimately performing an all-around life-faceplant into the ground.) But bygones, bygones, er, however the "bygones" saying goes. I still like you.

I really don't care all that much about having things lined up, though I have an obsessive-compulsive friend who might think differently.

Speaking of which, I'm sure you've heard the recent announcement concerning the November 19 release date of the Wii. Going head-to-head with Sony's November 17th release of the PS3. Quite bold indeed. Will you be buying one at launch? I will probably not, unless it happens to appear underneath my christmas tree this year. (Unlikely).

Matt

Nope. There are too many other games coming out this fall, so I'm taking care of those now and adding the Wii to my official Christmas list instead. If I happen to receive one, I'll be really happy. If not, I'll just buy one myself in the couple of weeks following the holiday.

I do think that Nintendo's move is quite bold indeed, and I think it might be partially designed to make sales appear even greater than they will be. How will it look to Japanese consumers when they hear the headline "PS3 sells 100,000 copies this week; Wii sells ten times that many"? Of course, that isn't the whole story, because a million PS3s would probably sell out too if they were available. When two new products go on the market, too, and both are cutting-edge in different ways, but one is less than half the price of the other, obviously that will be something Nintendo will try to play up.

So, I think that this selection of launch date is a bit of a posturing thing. I can't blame them, either.

So, like....what are your thoughts on grinding your way to an extremely high level in an RPG just to do certain things like, say, defeat Ruby Weapon in FFVII, or compete in the Paradox tournaments in KH2? I can't stand it personally, especially in a game like KH2 where level-grinding gets old reeeal fast. In order to see the complete ending to KH2 you literally have to do everything in the game, and that includes the tournaments that require a level 99 Sora. I've played the game for 35 hours and I'm at level 56. At level 56, roughly 35,000 XP is required to level up....and the most any enemy gives you is 1000 XP. I can't even think of making it to level 99 and keeping my sanity.

Matt

Enh. It's not really my thing either. I did it when I was a bored little child with Final Fantasy IV and Dragon Warrior IV, even when there WASN'T some big ultimate challenge, but other than that, I can't really be bothered. It might be "cool" to see such great power, and sometimes, I'm sure that it could be worth the effort. I just don't have the time to invest anymore, and with a backlog, I tend to prefer just beating a game and moving on to something new.

What? A FFXII sequel!? Didn't see that one coming. *rolls eyes* Well, it had better not resemble FFX-2 in the slightest. Other than that, I can hardly think of anything to say.

Matt

No kidding, eh? I don't think that many people had any idea that something like this was in the works. I can't really say whether or not I'm looking forward to it, given that we know almost nothing about it, and uh, we haven't even played the first one yet!

*shakes head*

Thanks for your time,

Oliver.

Matt

Thanks for writing in yourself, Oliver!

Let's just remember around here that there are always going to be differences of opinions; everyone is not always going to agree! My intent is never to "burn anybody up," because I only want to inspire a bit of discussion. Surely I knew when I wrote "Action RPG" that we've been down this road before and that I'd spark some debate once again. Remember, though, that I'm not the kind of person to just arbitrarily say something without having a reason to do so. Most of the time.

THE NEXUS

Does SOCK start yet? There's a lot to get to. Trust me when I say that it's a big, big day. So let's get started!

#312. e) The Faux Shop (... F!ux 5hpp) - 650 points
You guys are better at reading through these than I ever would have thought. You'll get another chance today, I'm afraid. Anyway, this question actually read "What do you need to take with a grain of salt if you have any hope of obtaining a rubber chicken?" The reference is to the highly mediocre King's Quest VII, in which Archduke Fifi le YipYap tells you to take the Faux Shop with a grain of salt. The options were a) The Rooster's Comb, b) Hole #18, c) The nearby fountain, d) A Magic Egg, and e) The Faux Shop.

#313. b) Munchie (mUNcg#!) - 575 points/1,150 for Arpijy
Less of you managed to grab ahold of this obscured question. It simply read "One of these animal buddies lacks a specific gameplay function the others all have. Which one?" The options were a) Lombardia (from Wild Arms 2 and 3), b) Munchie (from Dragon Quest VIII), c) Steiner (from Beyond the Beyond-- ooh, never saw that one coming!), d) Noishe, from Tales of Symphonia, and e) Epona, from Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Munchie is the odd one out because he's the only one that you can't ride. Thanks, Arpijy, for submitting the question!

Today's New Questions

CW casts Apocalypse! Every Top 35 Competitor is compelled to randomly use an item!

A storm was building, and wow... did we ever get it today. SOCK's second Apocalypse Spell, and the undoing of Wailmer... and a brand new summon atop the scoreboard! If anyone has questions about score, items, or anything, or if you have a Damage Deflector you'd like to use, I'd be more than happy to answer your queries. Just send me an e-mail!

Keep in mind, if you're feeling stressed out or dismayed, that you aren't the only one. Just look at how disgusting the scoreboard looks, and realize that just about everyone is in the same boat here. Keep optimistic, keep working away, and eventually somebody will get to the top!!

STRAGGLERS:
(people who I love, but who still need to check their e-mail or somehow get in touch with me because they have unclaimed items- if you fall off the list after a week, it's TOO LATE FOR YOU! Check your spam/trash folders for my messages if you're not getting them, and I'll check mine, too!)

Vigilante

SOCK's Prize Shop

Obtain enough points, and you may buy items, merchandise, or guest-hosting positions.

I'm so tired after that Apocalypse Spell, I'm going to give half of my column to MagRowan for tomorrow! Be nice, and come to visit! She'll be sure to do her very best to answer questions alongside of yours truly. There's plenty to write about, of course. The big news is obviously the Wii. What are your thoughts on the announcements? Are you planning on snagging one of your very own, or are you going to wait on it?